Bernie is a 2011 movie starring Jack Black. Based on a true story about a Texas assistant funeral director, Black does a great job of playing a character. The basic premise is that Bernie (played by Black) is an asexual guy that loves his community. He actually loves helping people in the funeral business and especially goes the extra mile to comfort elderly widows. One particularly mean widow, Marjorie Nugent (Shirley McClaine) ends up glomming onto Bernie because of his good nature.
Unfortunately, their pairing turns out to be the worst thing in the world of Bernie, but kind of the best thing the world for the town. Beyond that, I can’t give away more of the plot without ruining it. Directed by Richard Linklater of Slacker and Dazed and Confused fame, the movie explores small town Texas life. It’s got a pseudo-documentary feel and follows the ins and outs of the true story without overly dramatizing it. It’s a funny, quirky character study and totally worth putting in your Netflix cue.
